Cigarette extinguisher



Aug. 15, 1950 c. A. T. AGEE A QIGARETTE ,EXTINGUISHER Filed May 20, 1947 Charles AI Agee Attorney Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

2,518,849 CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER Charles A. T. Agee, Signal Mountain, Tenn. Application May 20, 1947,,Serial No. 749,143

This invention relates to disposal devices for cigarettes and the like and particularly to cigarette extinguishers which are especially adapted for use with receptacles for cigarette stubs and ashes.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved cigarette disposal device having means for disposing of cigarettes and the like andtheir attendant ashes without resultant smoking or smoldering of the contents of the associated receptacle.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette extinguisher having means for smothering a lighted cigarette in which possible clogging of the extinguisher ports is practically eliminated.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a cigarette extinguisher having separate ash and stub disposal means so constructed and arranged that a lighted cigarette cannot pass through the extinguisher. j

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter in the detailed description, be particularly pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an extinguisher embodying the present invention, showing the extinguisher applied to a bowl-shaped receptacle;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the lines 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectionalviewtaken along the lines 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an inverted vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale taken along the lines 4-4 of Figure 3, and I Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the extinguisher showing the resilient connection between the cover and base plate.

Referring now in detail to the drawings illus- 3 Claims. (01. 131-235) trating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

and in which like reference characters designate like parts, the improved disposal device comprises an extinguisher having a cover I and a base plate which may be substantially cylindrical in shape and is preferably provided with an integral skirt 5 depending from its upper edge. Within the central portion 4 are one or more vertically disposed wells or ports 6 which serve as extinguish- 2 ers or smotherers. These ports are of sufficient depth to accommodate or enclose the lighted end of a cigarette and, desirably, are deep enough to support even a slightly smoked cigarette in a relatively upright position. Unlike the cylindrical ports heretofore employed, the ports 6 are of increasing cross sectional area toward their inner or lower ends. In the illustrated embodiment these ports are of frusto-conical configuration with their greatest diameter at their inner ends and of suflicient diameter at their upper or outer ends to permit the free axial passageof a cigarette. So formed the ports, when closed at their ends, effectively extinguish a cigarette in a few seconds through smothering by lack of oxygen. At the same time, the conical shape of the ports reduces contact between the lighted end of a cigarette and the Wall of the port to a minimum, thus practically eliminating sweating and preventing adherence of sticking of the cigarett and its ashes to the port.

7 Also within the central portion 4 of the cover, but spaced from the ports 6, areone or more ash-receiving openings or passages 1 of oval or other suitable shape. An objectionable feature in most ash receptacles is the lack of means for preventing lighted cigarettes from falling into the container with consequent smokin or smoldering of its contents and emission of unpleasant odors. In the extinguisher of the present invention such a result is avoided by restricting, in-

,terrupting or partly closing each of the openings .1 by grids, bars or other grill work 8, so spaced asto permit ashes to drop freely while obstructing the passage of cigarettes, the grids illustrated being substantially parallel and in stepped relation. As shown, this may be accomplished by the provision of a plurality of grids or grates extending across each opening, the space between the adjoining grids being less than the diameter of a cigarette. I While the ports 6 and openings 1 may be in any number and arrangement desired, efficient space utilization is obtained in the illustrated embodiment by the employment of three of each. With this construction the cover is provided with a central boss 9 around which the ports and openings are radially disposed and alternately arranged. A desirable feature of the cover is the provision of grooves or depressions Ill formed in the upper part of the skirt 5 adjacent and in line with, each of the openings I. So positioned,

the grooves serve as cigarette rests and at the same time ensure that any ashes dropping from a burning cigarette resting on the cover will automatically fall through the associated underlying opening.

As previously mentioned, there is attached or connected to the underside of the cover a base plate 2, the primary function of which is normally to close or cover the inner ends of the ports 6, while permitting ingress into the associated receptacle through the openings 1. For this purpose the plate, or closure member 2, is provided with both solid portions and openings which are adapted to underlie and register with the ports 6 and the openings 1, respectively. In the illustrated embodiment the closure member is formed as a spider having a central hub II and an outer rim l2 connected by a plurality of radially arranged webs l3 defining intervening'openings H, the portions of the webs underlying the ports 6 being enlarged to form shoulders, panels I or closures l5.

To enable the ports 6 to be opened and discharge their contents after the latter have been extinguished, provision is made for relative movement of the cover I and plate 2. This may be accomplished by connecting the cover and plate by a shouldered screw or other suitable means l6 extending through the hub H of the plate and into a threaded recess in the central boss of the cover, the screw thus serving as a bearing or pivot enabling the cover to rotate or turn relative to the plate. To maintain the enlargements or closures in the plate normally in portclosing position and cause the cover to return to that position after it has been turned to disgorge the contents of the ports, there are provided stops ll depending from the cover and adapted to engage corresponding faces of the webs of the plate. Since adapted to engage the opposite faces of the webs on rotation of the cover, the stops also serve to limit rotation of the cover to the are included between the confronting faces of the webs. In addition, the cover and plate are resiliently connected, as by springs M3, for normally urging the plate into port-closing position To reduce friction to a minimum and obtain positive return, two springs are preferably provided and mounted on opposite sides of the extinguisher. These springs may conveniently be concealed within the space enclosed by the skirt 5.

While the extinguisher will usually be employed to extinguish and dispose of cigarette stubs, it may also be used to extinguish cigarettes which are later to be re-smoked. Although this end can be accomplished merely by dropping a lighted cigarette into one of the ports 8, it is preferable from a taste standpoint that the burned end or ash be removed before the cigarette is relighted. With the present extinguisher this can be obtained readily by forming a knife edge or cutting surface 19 on the edge of each of the enlargements or shoulders I 5 which sweeps across, intercepts or overlaps the inner end of the associated port. Merely by holding the cigarette as the cover is turned, these cutting edges can be caused to slice or cut of! the burned end of the cigarette without injury to the latter.

' To permit the desired oscillatory rotation of the cover relative to the plate it is necessary that the latter be anchored or fixed relative to the rim of the base a seat 20 to accommodate the rim l2 of the plate 2 and interrupting the plateconfronting wall of the seat by one or more keyways or slots 2| for receiving correspondingly formed keys or lugs 22 on the rim of the plate. If the extinguisher is applied to a large receptacle, such as a floor model, the latters weight alone is adequate to anchor it against movement on turning of the cover. However, for desk models, such as that illustrated, it is desirable to aflix to the bottom of the container suitable gripping means, such as the rubber feet 23.

From the above detailed description it will be apparent that there has been provided an improved extinguisher for cigarettes and the like, which is of novel and rugged construction and afiords effective means for extinguishin a cigarette or other burning article without clogging, while preventing smoldering of the contents of the associated receptacle. It should be understood that the described and disclosed embodiment is merely exemplary of the invention and that all modifications are intended to be included whichdepart neither from the spirit of the invention nor the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim: 7

l. A cigarette extinguisher for a receptacle comprising a closure member adapted to be seated on said receptacle, means adapted to lock said closure member against rotative movement relative to said receptacle, said closure member hav" ing a plurality of spaced radial webs defining openings therebetween, and a cover rotatably mounted on said closure member, said cover having a plurality of spaced extinguishing ports, each port having its lower end normally closed by one of said webs, ash-receiving openings in said cover intermediate said ports'and normally overlying said openings in said closure member, and grids interrupting said ash-receiving openings, the spacing between said grids being less than the diameter of a cigarette for preventing passage of cigarettes therethrough.

2. A cigarette extinguisher for a receptacle comprising a closure member adapted to be seated on said receptacle, means adapted to lock said closure member against rotative movement rela-' tive to said receptacle, said closure member having a plurality of spaced radial webs defining openings therebetween, and a cover rotatably mounted on said closure member, said cover having a plurality of spaced frusto-conical extinguishing ports, each port having its lower end normally closed by one of said webs, ash-receiving openings in said cover intermediate said ports and normally overlying said openings in said closure member, and grids interrupting ashreceiving openings, the spacing between said grids being less than the diameter of a cigarette for preventing passage of cigarettes thcrethrough. 3. A cigarette extinguisher for a receptacle comprising a closure member adapted to be seated on, said receptacle, means adapted to lock said closure member against rotative movement relative to said receptacle, said closure member having plurality of spaced radial webs defining openings therebetween, and a cover rotatably mounted on said closure member, said cover having a plurality of spaced frusto-conical extinguishing ports, each port having its lower end normally closed by one of said webs, ash-receiving openings in said cover intermediate said ports and normally overlying said openings in said 010* sure member, and a plurality of grids interrupt- 5 6 ing each of said ash-receiving openings, said UNITED STATES PATENTS grids of each opening being substantially paral- Number Name Date 1el and arranged in stepped relation, and the 152-7402 Fuller Feb 24 1925 spacing between said grids being less than the 1637172 y 1927 diameter of a cigarette for preventing passage 1780258 Weinberg Nov 1930 of cigarettestherethmugh- 210291139 Szabo HI LII: Jan. 29, 1936 CHARLES A. T. AGEE.

FOREIGN PATENTS REFERENCES CITED Number Country Date The following references are of record in the 10 407,243 Great Britain 1934 file of this patent: 115,207 Australia May 25, 1942 

